Automatic brake and safety-fender



2`Sheets-Sheet 1. 8u J. G.l KURTZ.A

Patented Dec. 10, 1895.

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(No Model.)

V"AUTOMATIC BRAKE AND SAFETY FENDER.

w114/Lemay 2. t. 8 e h S nw e e h S 2 ml. Dru. U .K nm .d. uw l d. d o Mo m AUToMA-TIG BRAKEy AND SAFETY EENDEE. No. 551,210.

Patented Deo. 10, 1895.

T I I I I I I I I I I I I I I l I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I l I -J A Ij ---u-n- UNTTED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN KURTZ AND JOHN G. KURTZ, OF MOORE, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC BRAKE AND SAFETY-FENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 551,210, dated December10, 1895.

Application filed March 21, 1895. Serial No. 542,604. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN KURTZ and JOHN G. KURTZ, citizens of theUnited States,

Our inventionconsists of a novel construc.

tion of automatic brake and safety-fender, in which means are provided,in case an ob# ject is struck, for breaking the. electric circuit andfor arresting the movement of the wheels by the interposition ofsuitable shoes between the latter and the track, provision being alsomade for preventing injurious strain to any part of the apparatus.

It further consists of novel details of construction, all as will behereinafter set forth. Figure 1 represents a plan View of an'automaticbrake and safety-fender and its adjuncts embodying our invention and aportion of a car to which the same is applicable. Fig. 2 represents aside elevation of the same. Fig. 3 represents av sectional view, on anenlarged scale, of a contact-breaker employed. Fig. 4 represents, on anenlarged scale, a side elevation of the buffer and its connections. Fig.5 represents a sectional view, showing a cross-bar actuated by saidbuffer, and a guide therefor. Fig. 6 represents a perspective view ofsaid cross-bar removed, to be hereinafter referred to. Similar numeralsof reference indicate .corresponding parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the body of a car, to a suitableportion of the platform 2 of which are ksecured the guides 3, the latterserving to support .the end portions 5 of the cross-bar 4, the extremeends of the latter being turned downwardly, forming ears 6, to whichlatter are pivoted the arms 7 of the transversely-extending buffer 8,the latter having the angle-shaped .piece 9 attached thereto, by'meansof which said buffer is held in its forward position,as seenin fulllines in Fig. 2. 10 designates a spring or catch attached to theplatform 2, which is adapted Vto engage said angle-shaped piece 9 andhold the same and the buifer 8 in the position seen in full lines, outof the way, as in Fig. 4, when it is desired to couple cars. The saidcross-bar 4 has the rods 11 attached thereto, which extend rearwardlyand pass through the walls 12 of the guides 3. 13 designates springsinterposed between said walls 12 and the crossbar 4, whereby the latteris normally held in the position seen in Figs. 1, 4, and 5.

14 designates alink having one end attached to the ears 6 of thecross-bar, the other end of said link being attached to the upperportion of the swinging frame l5, which is pivoted to the lugs 16.

The cross-bar 4, at about its middle por'- tion, contacts with a roller17, mounted on the under side of the lever 18, (best seen in Fig. 1,)which is normally secured to the through the guide or support 23, andhas its I other end provided with an odset, and attached to themovabledog` or pawl 24, which is pivoted to an ear 25, said pawl being adaptedto engage the nose 26 of the catch 27, which is mounted on the shaft 28,the latter being rotatably mounted in suitable bearings, and having anextension and handle 28 for resetting, as will be explained. Near eachend of said rod is an arm 29, extending therefrom, to which one end of alink 30 is pivotally attached, the other end of each of said links beingpivoted to a shoe 31, which is normally suspended above the rails inproximity to the car-wheels, as will be understood from Fig. 2.

32 designates rods which have one end movably mounted in the bearings 32on the under side of the car, the other ends being mounted on the axleof the same, said rods having the collars 33 rigidly attached thereto,against which abuts one end of the springs 34, the otherV ends of saidsprings being in contact with the collars 35, which are freely movableon said rods, said collars having the chains or other connections 36extending therefrom to said shoes 31. 37 designates a collar attached tosaid rod 22 and adapted to abut against the guide 23, and so form astop. 38

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designates another collar also attached to said rod 22, against whichabuts one end of the spring 39, the other end of the latter being incontact with said guide 23.

40 designates a connection from the feedwire which leads to theconductor 41, which has the insulating-sleeve 42 therein.

43 desig'nates another conductor which is mounted on the rod 44,suitable insulating material 45 being interposed between the two latter`and a wire 4G leading from the conductor 43 to the motor or under thecar. (Not shown.) The conductor 41 is immovable and assists to supportan end of the said rod 44, the other end of the latter being attached tothe chains or other connection 47, which is secured to the shaft 28, soas to be wound therearound, all as will be hereinafter explained. 48designates a hanger through which said rod 44 passes, said hanger havinga spring 49 attached thereto, the other end of the latter being attachedto a suitable portion 50 of said rod 44, the tendency of said springbeing to keep the conductors 41 and 43 normallyT in contact.

The operation is as follows, assuming the parts to be in the positionseen in Fig. 1: If an object strikes the buffer 8 or the frame 15, thecross-bar 4 will be moved rearwardly and will contact with the roller17, thus moving the lever 18 and rod 22 rearwardly, and so tripping ormoving the pawl 24 out of engagement with the catch 27, whereupon theshoes, being unsupported, fall, and the wheels ride up thereon, andtheir motion is instantly arrested, any dangerous shock being taken upby the springs 34, which act as buffers. The shaft 28 is caused torotate by the dropping of the shoes, whereby the chain or oord 47 iswound thereon, thus moving the conductors 43 and 41 out of contact, thesame assuming the position seen in Fig. 3, the circuitbeing thus broken.The springs 13 cause the cross-bar 4 to move forwardly, while the spring39 has a similar effect on the rod 22, and if now the shaft 28 isproperly rotated by the handle 28 the shoes will be lifted from thetrack, and the tripping devices will appear as in Fig. 2, the spring 39holding the pawl in position, while the spring 49 holds the conductors41 and 43 normally in contact.

"When it is desired to couple cars, the buffer 8 can be turned into theposition seen in Fig. 4 and held there by means of the catch 10.

The device can be operated by the motorman by turning the handle 20, therod 19 and the lever 18 operating in unison, as is evident.

When the buifer is turned up into the position seen in Fig. 4, the lever18 will be actuated, when the frame 15 is struck.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing that by mounting one end of therods 32 on an axle of the car and allowing the other end of said rods tomove freely in the bearings 32X, as described, all the shock caused bythe contact of the wheels with the adjacent shoes 31 will be thrown uponsaid axle, and the front of the car being raised as the forward wheelsride up on said shoes the weight is thus thrown upon the back portion,thereby avoiding all injurious strains or jars.

It will be seen from Fig. 2 that the shoe is normally raised at itsfront end, the link 30 being connected with said shoe in front of itscenter of gravity, thereby insuring at all times the proper dropping ofthe rear end of the shoe and increasing the tendency of the wheel toride on the same when in contact therewith.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a device, of the character described, a cross bar, springs andguides therefor, ears thereon, a buffer pivotally connected to thelatter, and means for holding the same in a vertical or horizontalposition, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the character described, a buffer connected with across bar, a piv- .oted lever in contact with said cross bar, a

rod connected with said lever and carrying a pawl, a rock shaft havingarms supporting shoes, and a catch on said shaft engaged by said pawl,said parts being combined sub stantially as described.

3. In a device of the character described, a cross bar having dependingends or ears, rods extending rearwardly from said bar, guides for thelatter .and said rods, springs for holding said bar in position, abuifer pivotally attached to said ears, an angle shaped piece attachedto said buifer, and a spring or catch adapted to engage the latter,substantially as described.

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4. A buffer, a swinging frame, a cross bar,

connections intermediate the above parts, a pivoted lever adapted to beactuated by said cross bar, a rod extending from said lever to trippingmechanism, shoes adapted to be released by said mechanism, rods suitablysupported, and having springs, and fixed and movable collars thereon,and connections from said movable collars to said shoes, substantiallyas described.

5. In a device of the character described, the conductors 41 and 43, therod 44 to which the latter is attached, said conductor 41 serving tosupport one end of said rod, another portion of the latter beingsupported in a suitable hanger, a shaft 28 mounted in IIO IZO

suitable bearings, a flexible connection from the end of said rod tosaid shaft, and the spring 49 extending from said hanger to a suitableportion of said rod, substantially as described.

6. The lever 18, attached to the rod 20, the roller 17 on said lever,the cross bar 4 suit-V ably guided and supported and adapted to contactwith said roller, means for moving said cross bar when an object isstruck, a rod 22 extending from said lever to suitable trippingmechanism, and shoes adapted to be released by said tripping mechanism,substantially as described.

7. The shoes 3l, means for supporting the same, the rods 32, fixed andmovable collars on said rods, springs therebetween, and chains extendingfrom said movable collars to said shoes, whereby injurious strains areavoided, substantially as described.

8. In a device of the character described, a cross bar having suitableguides, a buffer connected With said cross bars, a pivoted lever, havinga roller engaged by said cross bar, springs bearing against said crossbar,

a sliding rod connected With said lever and having a coil spring thereonbearing against a stationary guide, a rock shaft with arms thereonsupporting rods to which shoes are attached, a paWl connected with saidsliding rod engaging a catch on said rock shaft, said parts beingcombined substantially as described.

JOHN KURTZ. JOHN G. KURTZ. Witnesses JOHN A. WIEDERsHEIM, i E. I-I.FAIRBANKS.

